Astral firsts.

[osiris]

I have not seen this posted before. But im very interested in knowing about everyones first ld or obe? Are you a natural and been doing it all your life? Or did you learn how? If you learned what were the stages up to the first projection? Do you recall the first time? Also what did you study and learn from? What helped to make it possible the most?
Im sure most of this info is around here for some of you, but i like the idea of discussing it and putting it all together. Thanks.

[existenceisadream]

Well as a child I was a natural lucid dreamer and even now can remember experiences but through out my teen years as worries and problems began to take over my mind I pretty much totally forgot about lucid dreams and by the time I was 18 I found a psycology magazine and it had an big article in it about lucid dreams and I wondered if it was really possible (unbelievable how I cound forget something like this to where I had to be convinced again!, it shows how "we" could forget who we were before starting this physical reincarnation and then remember later from an "awakening") It took only three weeks of reading my first book on dreaming called "Creative Dreaming" by Patricia Garfield (My most highly recommended book on dreaming) before I had my first LD. It was very fast lived but so intense. I remember in it that it went from LD quickly into sleep paralysis in which I had a massive field of color blow up in my face and I could feel intense vibrations through out my body especially in my third eye and then I woke up (I believe I have the experience on this forum some where so I hope I'm telling it totally accurate) At the time I knew nothing about OBE's and nothing about astral vibrations so I didn't realize that I had a sleep paralysis episode right after the LD. All of my first Ld's at the beginnign were very short and the max I would have in a week would be maybe 3 so with that rate I wasn't spendin barely anytime lucid in dreams. I'll have to look through my DJ to find my first lucid that actually was longer and good.

[osiris]

Very good. Thats exactly what im looking for. So it actually took up until you had the first ld to begin remembering you did this before? (im gonna play the annoying reporter that asks to many questions in this thread...lol) I wrote the book down and will be looking for it thanks man.

[Lena]

Is this a thread to tell my life story? I feel like complaining how hard it's been for me, and that people must have some nerve to get it on their first try The positive aspect, of course, is the desire to look further, to keep looking, and looking...Now another point is that in my mind I can never have it clearcut like that: oh, that was my first ld, and that was my first obe. I used to think I'd have a major enlightment, and it will all come to me. And maybe there will be some major break through, but mostly it's getting comfortable over time.

I never did forget that I could lucid dream in childhood. So my first one that I clearly remember I would have to say was when I was around 5 years old. I remember exploring the concept of having other people in my dreams. I was really convinced in my dream, when talking to this one girl I know, that we can decide to meet somewhere in real life, in order to confirm that we were both dreaming together. I woke up with a clear intention to go somewhere, but I'm pretty sure she never did have the same dream, or at least didn't remember it consciously. I don't remember any lucid dreams since childhood, maybe because I wasn't paying attention.

Then when I started trying to have lucid dreams in college, I'd say it took a month of practing OBE techniques, writing down my dreams, and willing to remember that I'm dreaming. It was pretty cool, at one point in my dream (very clear which helps) I was drawn to these huge arcade games. I started playing one, and I made my ship go through an opening in the Earth's field and at that instant I realize I was dreaming. Since I used lucid dreams as a jumpstart for astal, I didn't stay in the dream beyond that. I went straight to my body, experiencing vibrations.Never did have a fully conscious exit, although I came very close to one (somewhat conscious?). It would be cool to do it from a trance, instead of a dream, but maybe I have a little too much performance anxiety. In fact, I think I wore myself out with all the attempts, I don't feel like it anymore.

[osiris]

I dont remember any ld's while in childhood at all. I believe once i begin to have them ill remember. Just like with vibrations ive fealt. So you have never had an active obe?
But you want to sooo bad..?

Can you explain what you mean by clear cut? If im correct you mean that its been an uphill battle that never seems to end. I think you try to hard. You one of those that did really good in school? Got mad when you had a B?
At the moment im tossed between trying to just project or wakeing up in a dream. I know everyone says crawl before you walk but sometimes i feel the energy build and like im ready. But than i always vie for the wakeing up in dream state. But when i only remember dreams maybe one or two times a week. That makes it very difficult. Although that is a record and it does steadily get better.
I feel for you Lena i would have never made it. My attention span is like that of a rhino and i get bored easy (im working daily on this). Thank goodness i have some "natural" talent with some things because progress is the only thing that holds my attention.
Can i ask do you meditate daily?

[Lena]

Oh, see, I wasn't going to tell my whole life story, but you are prompting me

I believe I did have an OBE. If I had to pinpoint my first one, I'd say it was when I floated through the roof and flied over a strange city. It was empty, and at night time, and obviously not this dimension. I did it from sleep state. I'll go off-topic a little bit, and explain what confuses me very much in all these experiences. While I do think that I'm out of my body, my consciousness is never fully present, that's why I said I never had a fully conscious experience. It was never like wow, so awake one moment, and then out of body the next. It was more like I was sleeping, then started experiencing vibrations without fully waking up, then out of body, but not clear and fully aware. It's difficult to explain. For instance, often, I can't see very well, and I feel low energy.

Osiris, I could be one of those people, and I certainly bend out of shape about certain things that I realize are not of great importance. I'd say I'm seeking balance, I can take life too seriously, or not care about it at all (my defense mechanism). Anxiety and fear are certainly some things I battle with, and why I'm so interested in finding my inner peace. There, now you know everything about me

I do try to meditate daily, but not always that disciplined. As you can probably guess from the previous paragraph, meditation didn't come naturally, I had to calm down into it, and accept the way it is. At first, I just wanted all the noises to stop, my body to disappear, and my mind to be completely still ha ha Do you meditate every day? I gather from your posts that you are pretty advanced in energy work, I'm a little puzzled about what's stopping you from projecting. As for dreams, did you try to set the intention to wake up several times at night in order to write them down? Maybe set your alarm for early morning, and then try to scribble something when it rings. You have a dream journal? And I mean like an actual notebook that you write your dreams in. I know it sounds simple, but it makes a difference with your intention. How long do you usually sleep at night? If you sleep shorter periods of time, if your schedule allows for it, it's usually easier to remember. Writing something down EVERY morning, even if you remember absolutely NOTHING, write about how you feel after waking up.

[osiris]

Thank you i wanted to know everything . Im a bit puzzled as well. I have pinpointed it though i believe. I should know in the next week or two if i have or not. Yes i have a dream journal just no dreams to enter in it. And i cannot wake up every couple hours too an alarm clock i have a partner that would dislike it sooo much. So i have decided on a differant route that involves lots of water. lol YOU asked. You see i had a violent past and i wanted it to remain just that way the past. So i thnk uncounciously i turned off my memories of dreams at one point years ago. So bringing them back is like trying to raise the Titanic...and i still wonder is it really something i want to do? Your Damn right it is...
Will you not give me more depth to your times in ld since it seems that there is no first one?

[existenceisadream]

Osiris,
The thing is, is that I've always been a dreamer and have always loved my sleep and dreams. Even during worst parts of my life I had great dream recall but never used a dream journal tell I read that article and and began working with my dreams. I've always been able to remember dreams and have always had awareness in them. The awareness is sort of like the awareness that I have in them now. It's dreams where I'm aware but not lucid. So basically there's a part of me that knows it's a dream and that's why I can do incredible feats that I couldn't' do in physical life. I believe sometimes in dreams that I get this awareness and a deeper part of me doesn't want to become lucid because it would effect the dream too much (as in would steer the dream in a different direction than if I would had just let it go on with little to no awareness). This awareness on a lucid meter of 1-5 would be like the 1. A part of me that realizes it's a dream but not enough awareness or care to take it any further. I believe also that a 1 on the scale could mean awareness of the moment within the dream but not realizing which dream you're in(the body asleep or body awake). A 2 on the scale would be like the previous but a little more awareness of the dream but flickering in and out of this awareness. A 3 could be the previous but managing to keep this awareness and interacting with the dream knowing it's a dream. 4 could be the previous along with doing things like flying and maintaining duration of the Ld. And a 5 being full awareness and having much control of your dreamscape being able to manipulate things at will. Now the list can go on because there's always higher feats to attain within lucidity and consciousness but I'll end there. Plus this scale isn't really set in stone. Anybody can have their own scale for how they go about it all. So basically the older I grew I only had dreams with level I lucidity levels and didn't think much about them accept that I loved sleeping and dreaming. So when I read that article I believe it sparked on interest that I already had in dreaming but just didn't realize that there were higher levels that could be attained. Reading that book "Creative Dreaming" along with my desire (and my perfectionist attitude : to learn more about these higher states of awareness I could gain in my dreams really helped my to progress right away. But that first higher level Ld I had when I was 18 was the most aware I had been in my dreams since I was very young.
Another thing I've been realizing is that the more awareness I'm gaining through out the day and the way I'm interacting with nature and life is kind of going back to the way I was as a child. As a child I was so much into this dream living and being able to feel this physical as if it were a dream. With age came like I said the worries ans stresses and that stole my being able to feel this life as the dream it is. I never lost it completely but nothing like as a child. I feel this is how it is for most people. Now as I'm meditating and being in nature I make it a point to remember how I felt as a child and let the feeling consume me till I'm feeling the dream once more as I used to.
lately I've realized that I used to be so one minded studying only lucid dreams or OBE's or whatever it is but now I'm realizing that I'm more a studier of consciousness using my own as the playing ground. The deeper I get into it the more that's being opened up and the possibilities are endless. I used to be (and can still be) a perfectionist. I won't be satisfied without giving it my all on a project. I have been managing though recently to stop this mentality and let things flow more and more in the moment than thinking constantly about the future.
Ok this is turning more into a life story thread haha
Better stop it now.

[existenceisadream]

Lena I can be quite like you. I either care too much and take things too seriously or do the opposite. It most likely has been my defense mechanism as well. I definitely have been searching for balance and that's important to me now. I must say thought that the balancing has been coming along in the past couple few years. I would had never thought in my younger days that I would be able to be at the level I'm at now but there's still so much work to be done. It's all a never ending quest. I guess I'll be happy as long as I don't snap completely one day and lose my friggin mind. Thing is, is that snap has occurred time and time again through out the years and I must say I'm still chugging away choo choo!

[Lena]

And i cannot wake up every couple hours too an alarm clock i have a partner that would dislike it sooo much.
I understand, mine didn't like it much either.

So i have decided on a differant route that involves lots of water. lol YOU asked.
Awesome, let us know how that goes for ya.

You see i had a violent past and i wanted it to remain just that way the past. So i thnk uncounciously i turned off my memories of dreams at one point years ago. So bringing them back is like trying to raise the Titanic...and i still wonder is it really something i want to do? Your Damn right it is...

That's the block I was feeling from you. I am feeling compassion for you. I don't know if there is any way around facing your past if you haven't done so already. That's a part of healing. Sounds like you came a long way, and I'm sure your dreams will reflect that too. Since the point of power is in the present, you might have faced many issues just working with your emotions, and being aware. There is certainly no reason to dwelve, as past is past, and now is what's relevent. But you might be pleasantly surprised by your dreams! And just because you don't remember them, doesn't mean that they are not working for you, healing you, comforting you, giving you information...

Will you not give me more depth to your times in ld since it seems that there is no first one? Oh, well there isn't much depth, I never stayed in one very long...Things fade away when I realize I'm dreaming, I either wake up or go to a different dream. But here's my exact entry from the LD I told you about in college.

Nov. 7th, 2004 "* I went back to sleep and told myself that I will remember I'm dreaming. I was on campus with some girls from Russian Club. We were fooling around in the gym. They started talking about Paul and how he is so popular. I decided that I must find him. I went all over the campus following my intuition. I found him in the bar where he was working. I asked him to talk to me. Then I saw video games and was drawn to them. In fact, a thought went through my mind that they are good for changing reality. I started pressing buttons randomly trying to get my spaceship to fly. When it exited some kind of hole I realized I was dreaming. I told myself I was dreaming that I wanted to be out of my body.
** I was back in bed and experiencing vibrations. They were pretty strong and I just let them completely come over me, hoping I would snap out of my body. I felt my heart rate increase. Vibrations left and repeated several times. I felt like I was rolling right and thinking that if I was, I'd be going through a wall and then I rolled left and thought that I should be off the bed. I kept repeating that I'm floating up. I felt kind of like I was lifting. I kept saying that I'm floating up to the ceiling and through the roof. I felt like I might be out of my body, but I couldn't take a look around. I said "Clarity now" and "Better Vision Now" and I think I remember a slight shift, but I was still disoriented and confused. When I finally forced myself to open my eyes, I was back in bed. I think now that maybe I didn't separate completely. Why?"

[Akeia]

Hey all!

Reading this all makes me think of things what have happened to me as well. It makes me think that what i have experienced are not too far from obe's and lucid dreams.

While im dreaming i have had this level 1 awareness about what existence is talking about. I kind of realised that "it's the same dream again", that im dreaming again, but no wish, no will power to change it or any other way.

Talking about those energy waves, i have felt them strongly, and even maybe that sleep paralysis, when i feel like in a transe, all feels kind of heavy, well...that i cant move, just my eyes ( if at all ) . If that is that what you're talking about , then it's the one.

I want to have a conscious obe, but i admit, i don't try it too much. I want all from doing nothing, i know that i need to get better on it. But when i try something i fall asleep, because only time when i can try anything is the time when i go to sleep.

The next thing what is needed is the intention and faith that it will work and i want it to work!
I could slap myself, because im lazy, i know i need to start writing my dreams into a DJ, and maybe ill finally get to that. And it was a really good advice to write down at least what you feel like in morning when you cannot remember any dreams.

I need more willpower and determination. I hope i didnt interrupt your conversation with my babling, but what i red what you have written, it gives me something, gives me knowledge about things, so thank you!

[Lena]

But when i try something i fall asleep, because only time when i can try anything is the time when i go to sleep.

I'm with you, fall asleep I do. Set the intention to experience vibrations as soon as you doze off, and keep your mind awake, while your body is sleeping. Now that's an advice to myself just as much as to you. I never actually succeeded in keeping my mind awake while falling asleep. But I came pretty close, and that state right before falling asleep is fun to play with.

The next thing what is needed is the intention and faith that it will work and i want it to work!

Yep

what i red what you have written, it gives me something, gives me knowledge about things, so thank you

That's what we are here for, sweety, and your "babbling" helps us too.

[Lena]

Derek, I can relate to much of what you say, and I could write you a long reply, but it'd be like Yep, that's true, and that's true too.

You know, loving your dreams seems to be the key, the more I like them, the more they keep coming. I remember a period of time when I couldn't wait to go to bed to enjoy my sweet sweet dreams.

Perfect is not so bad unless you let it get you down, and let it get you anxious. I've done some wonderful things precisely when I let myself make mistakes. We are constantly learning to accept things, doesn't mean we have to tolerate them, but that's one aspect of being in the moment - accepting things the way they are.

I love your lucid meter!!

[osiris]

Ok i really like this thread. I feel like we are all going to make headway. Lena the block is gone at least it seems to be. maybe i can talk to someone about the dreams i did have and get them to pass better. OOps gotta go ill definatly be back. I love dreams and need them to be back.